NAAEE Publications

   Excellence in

   Environmental Education —

   Guidelines for Learning (K-12)

Strand 3--
Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues

Strand 3.1--Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues

References to Standards:
Geography 164-166, 169-170, 179-182
History 68-70
Social Studies 79-93, 105-107
Guidelines:
A) Identifying and investigating issues--Learners are able to use primary and secondary sources of information, and apply growing research and analytical skills, to investigate environmental issues, beginning in their own community.

Clearly articulate and define environmental issues. For example, describe the history and origins of the issue, actions that have been taken to address the issue, the apparent effects of these actions, and the current situation.
Identify key individuals and groups involved, their viewpoints, and the types of action they support. Describe areas of conflict and agreement.
Investigate the issue using secondary sources and original research where needed.
Examine how others have analyzed and understood the issue, identifying their approaches and the assumptions behind them.
Compare the issue with similar issues from other places and times.

Geography 171-172
Social Studies 85-87
B) Sorting out the consequences of issues--Learners are able to apply their knowledge of ecological and human processes and systems to identify the consequences of specific environmental issues.

Describe the effects of human actions on specific elements, systems, and processes of the environment.
Analyze issues by looking at trade-offs that have been made. For example, consider where various human activities (such as landfills, highways, chemical factories, or hazardous waste incinerators) are located and their effects on different places and different segments of the population.
Speculate about the effects of a proposed state or local environmental regulation. For example, consider effects on different sectors of the economy, neighborhoods, public health, particular plant and animal species and communities, and overall environmental quality.
Project the consequences of inaction or failure to resolve particular issues.

English Language Arts 41
History 70
Social Studies 105-107
C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action--Learners are able to identify and develop action strategies for addressing particular issues.

Identify different proposals for resolving an environmental issue. Recognize and explain the perspectives on the issue that are embedded in those views.
Explain why various strategies may be effective in different situations. Consider their likely effects on society and the environment.
Independently and in groups, develop original strategies to address issues.
Discern similarities and differences in problem situations which might affect their ability to apply strategies that were successful in other places and times.

Arts 51
English Language Arts 31-33, 41-42, 44-45
Geography 181
Science 148
Science Benchmarks 286-287
Social Studies 88-90
D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness--Learners are able to consider the assumptions and interpretations that influence the conclusions they and others draw about environmental issues.

Explain how the interplay of ideas and perspectives strengthens the process of inquiry and the societal ability to address issues.
Receive questions and alternative explanations that others offer in discussions as well as in readings.
Explain why it is not always possible to select one correct explanation or a single best approach to addressing an issue.

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	Strand 3-- Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues Strand 3.1--Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues
References to Standards: Geography 164-166, 169-170, 179-182 History 68-70 Social Studies 79-93, 105-107	Guidelines: A) Identifying and investigating issues--Learners are able to use primary and secondary sources of information, and apply growing research and analytical skills, to investigate environmental issues, beginning in their own community. Clearly articulate and define environmental issues. For example, describe the history and origins of the issue, actions that have been taken to address the issue, the apparent effects of these actions, and the current situation. Identify key individuals and groups involved, their viewpoints, and the types of action they support. Describe areas of conflict and agreement. Investigate the issue using secondary sources and original research where needed. Examine how others have analyzed and understood the issue, identifying their approaches and the assumptions behind them. Compare the issue with similar issues from other places and times.
Geography 171-172 Social Studies 85-87	B) Sorting out the consequences of issues--Learners are able to apply their knowledge of ecological and human processes and systems to identify the consequences of specific environmental issues. Describe the effects of human actions on specific elements, systems, and processes of the environment. Analyze issues by looking at trade-offs that have been made. For example, consider where various human activities (such as landfills, highways, chemical factories, or hazardous waste incinerators) are located and their effects on different places and different segments of the population. Speculate about the effects of a proposed state or local environmental regulation. For example, consider effects on different sectors of the economy, neighborhoods, public health, particular plant and animal species and communities, and overall environmental quality. Project the consequences of inaction or failure to resolve particular issues.
English Language Arts 41 History 70 Social Studies 105-107	C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action--Learners are able to identify and develop action strategies for addressing particular issues. Identify different proposals for resolving an environmental issue. Recognize and explain the perspectives on the issue that are embedded in those views. Explain why various strategies may be effective in different situations. Consider their likely effects on society and the environment. Independently and in groups, develop original strategies to address issues. Discern similarities and differences in problem situations which might affect their ability to apply strategies that were successful in other places and times.
Arts 51 English Language Arts 31-33, 41-42, 44-45 Geography 181 Science 148 Science Benchmarks 286-287 Social Studies 88-90	D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness--Learners are able to consider the assumptions and interpretations that influence the conclusions they and others draw about environmental issues. Explain how the interplay of ideas and perspectives strengthens the process of inquiry and the societal ability to address issues. Receive questions and alternative explanations that others offer in discussions as well as in readings. Explain why it is not always possible to select one correct explanation or a single best approach to addressing an issue.